[Publib] That book they are talking about

[Holly Campbell-Polivka]

I just recently graduated with my MLS from Emporia State University, and 
there was a strong emphasis on intellectual freedom. I would be shocked if a 
single person from my class supported the censorship of The Higher Power of 
Lucky. Based on some of the other posts on this thread, I would hope that 
teaching intellectual freedom is the norm. I tend to agree with Allen's view 
that the current state of affairs has more of an influence on such ideas for 
censorship than does the lack of teaching in grad school about intellectual 
freedom.

Holly Campbell-Polivka
Tigard, Oregon

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Christine Schmid" <schmidc1 at southernct.edu>
To: "Eric" <eric.brasure at gmail.com>
Cc: <publib at webjunction.org>; "Connie Jo Ozinga" <cjo at elkhart.lib.in.us>
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 8:31 AM
Subject: Re: [Publib] That book they are talking about


>I am a current MLS student at Southern CT.  Actually, one of my first
> courses discussed intellectual freedom for a good part of the semester.
> At first, many of the students did not agree with the ALA's guidelines
> due to the subject of pornography.  However, at the end of the course,
> a majority of the class (including myself) changed their view on this.
>
> Christine
>
>
> Eric wrote:
>
>
>>I am a current MLS student and I happen to be taking a children and YA
>>class this semester. I can tell you that there was no one in my class
>>that came down on the side of thinking "scrotum" to be a dirty word
>>and no one entertained the notion of censoring the book.
>>
>>
>>On 2/23/07, Connie Jo Ozinga <cjo at elkhart.lib.in.us> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> I would hope that you are as dismayed as I am over the brouhaha
> regarding
>>> the recent Newbery winner "The Higher Power of Lucky" by Susan Patron,
> due
>>> to the fact that it contains the word scrotum.  This is the correct
> name for
>>> a body part.  How is it a dirty word?
>>>
>>> I was even more dismayed when a staff member who is working on her MLS
> told
>>> me that at her class the other night she was the only student in the
> class
>>> who would keep the book in a children's collection, and the rest of the
>>> students were appalled by the use of "dirty words" and would never
> allow
>>> such a book in any children's collection for which they might be
>>> responsible.
>>>
>>> Are we failing to teach our MLS students the basic principles of
>>> intellectual freedom?  I find their reaction very troubling for the
> future
>>> of our profession.
>>>
>>> Connie
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Connie Jo Ozinga, Director  cjo at elkhart.lib.in.us
>>> (574)522-3333  www.elkhart.lib.in.us
>>> Elkhart Public Library Elkhart, IN  46516
>>>
>>> The Elkhart Public Library provides access to resources which inform,
>>> educate, enlighten and entertain our diverse community.....Books are
> just
>>> the beginning.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Publib mailing list
>>> Publib at webjunction.org
>>> http://lists.webjunction.org/mailman/listinfo/publib
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>-- 
>>"Why are the machines so sad?"
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